>Reza Khandan: My Wife Nasrin Will Not Contest the Latest Ruling by the Revolutionary Court

Monday April 25th, 2011 – The Center to Defend the Families of Those Slain and Detained in Iran reports that Nasrin Sotoudeh has confirmed that she will not contest the fine imposed upon her by the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court charging her with “non conformance with the Islamic dress code”. Reza Khandan, Sotoudeh’s husband informed the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the reason Sotoudeh did not contest the last two rulings by the courts is because prior to the court hearings taking place, the authorities had already informed her [in so many words] of the sentence that was going to be rendered.

In the past few months many lawyers have reported that the relationship between the various Revolutionary Courts and security and intelligence institutions are too close for comfort. In practice Intelligence Ministry authorities, have no qualms about demonstrating their influence on the judiciary. According to one political prisoner who spend some time behind bars after the last presidential elections, intelligence officials literally tell prisoners that they should not pin their hopes on their fate changing as a result of any court proceedings. Prior to the official announcement by the courts of her 11 year prison sentence, Nasrin Sotoudeh was told by the authorities that her sentence would be no less than 10 years behind bars. This type of environment has rendered the defense of lawyers and prisoners of conscience in Iranian courts virtually meaningless.

While informing the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that his wife will not contest this second ruling by the courts as it relates to her “non conformance to the Islamic dress code” Reza Khandan said: “Nasrin protested the manner in which the court proceedings were managed and as a result chose not to defend herself. Despite her complaints, her trial took place and in the end the court rendered a sentence against her; a sentence that both Nasrin and her lawyers had predicted. This latest charge of “non conformance to the Islamic dress code” has been accepted by the Judge and Nasrin has been fined $50 US Dollars. By law defendants are charged $50 USD for this crime and no discount was given in Mrs. Sotoudeh’s case either.”

Soutoudeh was charged with non conformance with the Islamic dress code [hejab] after giving an acceptance speech for an Italian Human Rights award, in a taped video message in which her hair was not covered. As a result of being banned from leaving the country, Sotoudeh was unable to attend the ceremonies in Italy and therefore gave her acceptance speech in a video message that was taped at her house. In a letter addressed to the Head of the Judiciary on April 9th, Sotoudeh announced that she was withdrawing her request that the lower courts reconsider the case in which she had been sentenced to 11 years in prison and banned from practicing law and leaving the country for 20 years.

While confirming that Soutoudeh expected the latest ruling against her, Khandan said: “According to the law the punishment for the crime of “non conformance to the Islamic dress code” is a $50 USD fine. In the case of Mrs. Sotoudeh, this punishment was handed down without any leniency. The court papers did state however that the ruling can be contested.”

When asked about his wife’s reaction Khandan said: “Today (April 19th, 2011) during a telephone conversation I informed Nasrin regarding this latest sentence. She replied: “I will not contest this new ruling for the same reason that I gave up on the idea of contesting the initial ruling against me, for I know that contesting will only negatively influence matters, creating conditions that would make it impossible to have a fair appeals process.””

It is worth mentioning that in the past few days there had been a number of false reports attributing 5 years of Soutoudeh’s 11 year prison sentence to the hejab case against her.

Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested and transferred to prison after being summoned to the prosecutor’s office at Evin on Saturday September 4th, 2010. On January 9th, 2011, Sotoudeh was charged with “acting against the national security of the country”, “propaganda against the Islamic Republic” and “membership in a human rights organization” by the 26th Branch of the Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Pir Abassi. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison and banned from practicing law and leaving the country for 20 years.